§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from national motorway and road haulage organisations concerning the A14 in Cambridgeshire; and if he will make a statement. [63527]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonWe consulted very widely on our Integrated Transport Policy and Review of Trunk Roads and received a large number of comments. Organisations at national, regional and local level made it clear the problems in the Cambridge-Huntingdon area were very severe and the need for solutions was seen as a very high priority.
John Bridge, Chairman of the Road Haulage Association, met with the Highways Agency's Chief Executive, Lawrie Haynes, and John Pearman, the Area Manager, on 8 September to press the case for an early start to the multi-modal A14 study.
Improvements to the A14 north of Cambridge were withdrawn by the previous administration and proposed improvements between the M11, Junction 14 and the A1/A14 junction had not even reached public consultation stage so they were not contenders for the Targeted Investment Programme that we announced in July. We are proposing to carry out a multi-modal study of the Cambridge-Huntingdon Corridor to bring forward a comprehensive solution to the problems including looking at the potential for transfer of traffic on to other modes. Confirmation of this study was given last week and a provisional date for its start is 2000–01; this timing, as with the timing of all multi-modal studies arising from the roads review, is subject to progress on consultation with the regional planning conference.
313W
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received from the Highways Agency concerning recent fatal accidents on the A14 in Cambridgeshire; and if he will make a statement. [63529]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Highways Agency has the facts available on all personal injury accidents. There is in place a system of reporting the most serious incidents to Ministers. The recent fatal accident reported on this basis covers the accident at Lolworth on 18 November.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will institute contingency plans for the design and routing of an upgrade of the A14 in Cambridgeshire, pending the outcome of multi-modal study for that traffic corridor. [63526]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Secretary of State has a statutory duty to review the needs of the network. We have already identified a number of safety related improvements for the Huntingdon to Cambridge section of the A14 which stem from a specific earlier study exercise. The Highways Agency will be implementing these measures by the Spring of 1999.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has held with the standing conference of East Anglian local authorities on terms of reference for a multi-modal study of the A14 corridor in Cambridgeshire. [63530]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe Government Office of the Eastern Region is working closely with the Standing Conference of East Anglian Local Authorities (SCEALA) on the technical work leading to the public exhibition of the Draft Regional Planning Guidance for East Anglia, which takes place in February. On 10 December we published our formal consultation with the Regional planning conference on the study programme announced in 'A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England'. This consultation seeks the Conference's views on the timing, coverage, and scope of the studies. The consultation paper proposes that the Cambridge-Huntingdon study should fall in the second tranche of multi-modal studies. There is a wide range of issues in the corridor including congestion, safety, environment, possible road, bus and rail proposals as well as proposals for significant development that will have to form part of any broad assessment of potential transport solutions.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what safety improvements on the A14 in Cambridgeshire have been commissioned by the Highways Agency. [63535]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonThe whole of the A14 (from M6 to Felixstowe) is being considered as an integral route. As part of that a package of measures along the length of the A14 in Cambridgeshire is being progressed
314WWest of A1 conversion of four existing single level junctions to two level;Between Huntingdon and Cambridge—package of safety measures as described in my answer today to PQ63531, at column 314;between Cambridge and Newmarket—package of safety measures as described in my answer today to PQ63531, at column 314.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what studies he has evaluated concerning the potential for improvements in safety on the A14 in Cambridgeshire; and what action he proposes to take on those studies. [63531]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonStudies and improvements can be broken down into three distinct lengths, working from east to west as follows
- (a) The Highways Agency is carrying out studies to identify what safety improvements can be made to the Histon (B1049) and Milton (A10) interchanges north of Cambridge. As an interim measure, the Agency is providing 'queue warning signs' on both carriageways of the trunk road approaching each junction. The signs will be in place by the end of January 1999.
- (b) In 1995 a study was commissioned from consulting engineers, Thorburn Colquhoun, to investigate accidents and congestion on the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge. This study suggested measures that could be taken to improve safety on the A14. The first stage of these improvements was carried out in 1995–96 when speed cameras were provided to help reduce traffic speeds. Since that time, and from that study, the Highways Agency has further developed a strategy of safety related improvement measures which will shortly be implemented. These focus on particular problems at specific locations which will be carried out by Spring 1999:
- (i) Improvement to various junctions by small scale widening, replacing existing chevrons with yellow backed signs, install bend warning signs with advisory speed limits, laying anti-skid at the ends of the diverge tapers and providing countdown markers on the approaches to the diverge tapers;
- (ii) Improvements within Girton Interchange to improve lane discipline and the flow of traffic;
- (iii) The construction of an acceleration lane to Hemingford Abbots eastbound carriageway.
- (c) Further studies are already in place to look at additional safety improvements at various locations;
- (d) Schemes are being prepared to change four existing single level junctions to two level between Thrapston and Brampton. They comprise the provision of bridges with full connections to the A14 at Polopit Road, the B663, Leighton Bromswold and Wooley/Easton junctions together with an overbridge at Chainbridge Lane. The Little Meadow crossing will be closed and alternative access arrangements for land and property owners made. All other central reserve gaps will be closed and the present footpath/bridleway crossing diverted to the proposed structures. All direct access points will be closed and alternative means of access put in place.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what increase in(a) noise and (b) pollutant emissions has occurred along the A14 in the last five years. [63528]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonNo readings are available to determine the increase in noise and pollution.
§ Mr. LansleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the growth of(a) HGV traffic and (b) all road traffic on the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge in the last three years. [63533]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonOver the last three years the total growth in traffic on this section of the A14 has been recorded as follows:
- (a) HGV traffic—approximately 7.5 per cent.
- (b) All vehicles—approximately 9.0 per cent.